


Learn from the Past

by AnonEhouse



Category: Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Civil War Team Iron Man, Gen, Not A Fix-It, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-17
Updated: 2017-07-17
Packaged: 2018-12-03 05:51:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11525871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnonEhouse/pseuds/AnonEhouse
Summary: A video from Howard demonstrates how good intentions have unforeseen consequences. Tony can only live with the hand he's been dealt.





	Learn from the Past

(If you are reading this on any PAY site this is a STOLEN WORK, the author has NOT Given Permission for it to be here. If you're paying to read it, you're being cheated too because you can read it on Archiveofourown for FREE.)

 

"Boss," Friday said. "I think we have an intruder."

"You think?" Tony looked up from the schematics of the bio-linked prosthetic he was tweaking to suit Rhodey.

"I have him listed as an approved visitor in the grandfathered in files, but in the more recent..."

"I'm dead," a once familiar man's voice said from behind Tony. "Or so the world thinks."

Tony turned, one hand casually on his mighty morphin' wristwatch and blinked. Dark glasses, maroon hoodie, off-the-rack black leather jacket, and badass attitude. "Huh. Nick Fury, as I live and breathe and it seems you do, too." Tony was so sick of mind games. He wasn't going to give Fury the satisfaction of an emotional response. "Whatever you want, the answer is 'no'. The Avengers, what's left of them, whatever team I build from the ashes, is mine now." Tony tilted his head. "I sure can't fuck up any worse than SHIELD."

"I don't want anything from you."

"Oh? That's new." Tony showed his teeth in a not-smile. "Don't want my inventions, don't want my money, don't want my suit." Tony waved at the schematics. "Want a new eye? No?"

"I want you to shut up and listen."

Tony blinked again. Fury looked tired. For once he looked his age. "I don't owe you anything, Nicky. Not even that."

Fury sighed. "No. I owe you this. I held this back from the rest of your father's belongings." He pulled out a data cube from his pocket and tossed it on the work desk. "I had it converted and then destroyed the original."

Tony eyed the cube dubiously. "So I can't prove this is... whatever it is, is genuine."

"No, you can't." Fury turned to leave. "I've put my contact details on there, if you have any questions, later." 

 

Tony ignored the cube after telling Friday to scan it and make certain it was harmless, as a device. He worked on Rhodey's prosthesis until the fourth time he found himself glancing at the cube. "FINE!" He picked up the cube and slotted it into the desk reader.

A grayish blurry video began running. The blur moved back until it reformed into his father, wearing a conservatively cut suit. He looked tired, but younger than Tony ever remembered him. His hair was still dark. "I don't know if you'll ever see this, Tony. I don't know if you'll...Jesus... I don't know if you're going to grow up. But if you do, and I'm not here, you might need to know this. I'll leave a copy with Fury. For reasons... he'll probably be there, long after I'm gone." Howard's lips twitched in a smile. "He let me test it on him. Before..." Howard reached out and picked up a whiskey glass. "Before... I did a lot of things, Tony. Alamagordo, experiments with things that are probably never going to be declassified. You can't tease the dragon without getting bit. Maria... she wanted a child, so badly. And we tried. So many times. 

"I got desperate. I let Peggy think Steve's blood sample was destroyed, but I couldn't do it. I tried to recreate the serum, and I got close, really close. The test animals survived, and I kept a few of them as sort of lab mascots. Nick got blown up by a land mine. He was dying. I gave him one of the more successful versions, and he lived. He didn't wind up a super-soldier, but he lived when he should have died.

"Maria was pregnant, and the doctors told us this was the last time she should try. We talked. And... she let me give you the serum, before you were born. You weren't born healthy, but you lived. Your heart... it had a hole in it... but it healed, slowly, but it healed. 

"And then I realized there were changes beyond the physical. The lab animals... well... personality changes in a mouse aren't easy to see, but the dogs...they were beagles, but they acted like wolves. Nick stopped listening to anyone, decided he always knew what was best. I don't say he became a bad man, but it was... they have a term for it. Narcissism. One of them."

Tony stared at the video. "Jesus. Natasha was right."

Howard went on. "Nick fought it once I could show him enough proof. He found a young man with extraordinary abilities and trained him as his second, and learned to trust his judgment, let Phil reel him back when he went too far." Howard picked up his glass and drank again. "Schmidt didn't have anyone like that. Steve... Steve had Bucky. Thank God for Bucky. I hate to think what it would have done to Steve if he didn't have anyone whose judgment he trusted."

Tony closed his eyes for a long moment. "Yeah, Dad, that wouldn't be good."

"I don't... I can't give you anyone to trust, so I can only try to make sure you never believe in yourself." Howard sighed. "It's all I can think of, Tony. I'm still trying to fix the serum. I'll keep trying, but I have to make sure you doubt yourself, take the blame when things go wrong. Even when it's not your fault. I'm sorry, Tony. I'm..."

The video stopped. Tony wasn't even aware of having gestured to turn it off. He took a deep breath. "Friday, delete that video. Keep whatever else is on there. I... I'll look at it later."

Friday said softly, "Yes, Boss."

Tony shook his head and took another deep breath, resting his hand on his chest. The bruises from his father's shield were healing. He always healed. Not super soldier fast, but he survived. He survived conscious heart surgery, torture, palladium poisoning and asphyxiation in space. He would heal from this.

And he wasn't alone. He had Rhodey. He just had to listen to Rhodey. He could do that. Sure he could.


End file.
